Lane Cove Council Meeting May 2026

Lane Cove Council’s May meeting is on Thursday 21 May 2026 at 7pm

Here’s what residents need to know.

Synthetic turf: two motions, one big debate

After the April meeting, where Council withdrew a synthetic turf item amid significant community pushback, the issue is back in two different forms.

The first motion, from Councillors Scott Bennison and Caleb Taylor, asks Council to begin a full review of the Open Space Strategy notice of motion in the 2026/27 financial year.

Their argument is that with rising population and growing demand for sport, decisions about playing surfaces should not be pre-determined by a stand-alone policy. Instead, they say the question of synthetic versus natural turf should be worked through as part of a broader, evidence-based review covering sportsfield capacity, environmental factors and community consultation.

The second motion, from Councillors Merri Southwood, Rochelle Flood and Helena Greenwell, takes a more direct line. It proposes Council develop a draft Synthetic Turf in Public Spaces Policy that prioritises best-practice natural turf and treats synthetic turf as an option only where there is no viable alternative.

Key elements include:

• Council would use “best endeavours” to improve sportsfield surfaces and work with other NSROC councils to increase regional sportsfield capacity.
• The existing synthetic turf at Blackman Park would stay — the motion makes clear there is no intention to remove it.
• Any future major synthetic turf project, including renewals, would come back to elected councillors for a decision.
• Council would also investigate whether the Lane Cove Development Control Plan can be amended to prevent synthetic turf in new private developments.

The motion raises concerns about PFAS chemicals, microplastics, increased surface temperatures, biodiversity loss, soil permeability and end-of-life disposal. It also refers to the NSW Chief Scientist and Engineer’s review of synthetic turf in public spaces and the NSW Government’s synthetic turf sports field guidelines.

If supported, the draft policy would involve consultation with the Sports Clubs Advisory Committee, Companion Animal Advisory Committee, Access and Inclusion Committee, Bushland Management Advisory Committee, Youth Advisory Group and Sustainability Advisory Committee.

These two motions effectively offer councillors a choice between dealing with surface choices through a broad strategic review, or setting a clearer policy direction now and reviewing the broader open space strategy alongside it.

Either way, synthetic turf in both public and private spaces is firmly on the agenda for the coming year.

Greenwich Road: 29-apartment proposal heads for final decision

The much-debated planning proposal for 177–183 Greenwich Road, Greenwich comes back to Council for a final vote.

The proposal seeks an increase in floor space ratio to 1.68:1 and a building height of RL48.85m. If finalised, it would allow a five-storey development of 29 apartments on a site already zoned R4 High Density Residential.

Public exhibition drew 151 submissions: 129 objections, 20 in support, one duplicate and one clarification of an earlier submission.

Issues raised included height and bulk, bushfire safety, traffic, the loss of a building once rented by architect Walter Burley Griffin, and proximity to the Gore Bay fuel terminal. Council staff and NSW Department of Planning staff have considered the issues raised and staff are recommending the proposal be endorsed and sent to the Department of Planning, Housing and Infrastructure for finalisation.

In parallel, councillors will vote on the Planning Agreement attached to the development. Developer Winten Property Group is offering:

• Dedication of more than 1,500 square metres of C2-zoned waterfront bushland to Council, valued at $3 million.
• $97,000 to fund construction of a foreshore access path and 10 years of maintenance.
• A total public benefit package valued at approximately $3.4 million.

Four submissions were received during the Planning Agreement exhibition. Two were supportive, from the Bushland Management Advisory Committee and the Lane Cove Bushland and Conservation Society. One was from an individual resident, and one was from the Greenwich Community Association raising legal and procedural concerns.

Council staff recommend the agreement be executed. The dedicated land, which Council says has been earmarked for public acquisition since the 1950s, would help close a long-standing gap in foreshore access.

A proposed new pocket park for St Leonards South

For St Leonards South residents, Council is being asked to publicly exhibit variation to the Planning Agreement for Areas 22 and 23.

The change would redirect $166,000 that would otherwise have gone toward a Berry Road upgrade into extending the existing pocket park between Areas 22, 23 and Areas 18, 19 and 20.

The decision follows community requests for more open space in the precinct. Council says the originally planned cul-de-sac is no longer needed because none of the developers require future driveway access through it.

If supported by Council, the variation will go on public exhibition for 28 days.

Budget update: capital spending pushed out

The March Quarter Budget Review shows Council’s operating surplus is now forecast to be tighter than previously expected.

Council’s operating surplus, excluding capital grants and contributions, is forecast to drop by $176,000 to a slim $138,000. That is still in the black, but only just.

The movement is partly due to extra funding for Gallery Lane Cove, salary movements and other operating adjustments.

Capital expenditure is forecast to drop by $13.6 million to $42.3 million, mainly because some St Leonards South property acquisitions and related developer contributions are not expected to land before 30 June.

Some notable changes include:

• A new $500,000 grant for Lane Cove North Speed Reduction works.
• A new $1.4 million budget provision for the St Vincents Road shared user path.
• Sportsground hire income is up by $45,000.
• Development application fees are tracking $60,000 above budget, reflecting the amount of construction activity across the LGA.

Councillor pay rise: 3.7%

The Local Government Remuneration Tribunal has approved a 3.7% increase to mayoral and councillor fees from 1 July 2026.

For Lane Cove, councillors will earn $24,080 annually. The Mayor will receive an additional $52,520 on top of the councillor fee.

Affordable Housing Policy heads to exhibition

Council is being asked to publicly exhibit its first draft Affordable Housing Policy.

The policy proposes a 10% affordable rental housing target for strategic plans and planning proposals where feasible, with priority given to key workers, people with a disability and long-term residents.

The policy is the first step toward developing a full Affordable Housing Contributions Scheme. Until that scheme is in place, Council’s preference is for “in-kind” contributions — actual dwellings or land dedicated for affordable housing — over monetary equivalents.

If supported, the draft policy will go on public exhibition for six weeks.

Pushback on State planning changes

Council has also drafted a submission to the NSW Government’s proposed Statewide Community Participation Plan, which would create one planning consultation framework across NSW.

Council’s draft response is largely critical.

It opposes the proposal to exempt some categories of development from public notification, including residential flat buildings, secondary dwellings and some tree removals. Council argues local councils should retain discretion over which developments are notified and exhibited.

Council also argues the proposed 14-day exhibition period for residential State Significant Developments is inadequate and should be at least 28 days. It supports better digital engagement and longer minimum timeframes for strategic plans.

Residents who want to comment directly can do so through the NSW Planning Portal until 5pm Wednesday 3 June 2026.

You can also read Council’s draft submission on the NSW Statewide Community Participation Plan in the May agenda papers.

Organic Buyers Group hub coming to Lane Cove

In a sustainability-focused item, Council is being asked to approve a 12-month pilot providing free use of a Council facility for around two hours a week for an Organic Buyers Group community hub.

The model allows residents to collectively buy organic fruit and vegetables at wholesale prices on a volunteer-led basis. Similar groups are already operating in other parts of Sydney.

If approved, the General Manager will choose the venue and finalise an agreement covering insurance, food handling, WHS, cleaning and access arrangements.

The pilot could begin early in the 2026/27 financial year.

A first for Lane Cove: the Children and Families Strategy

After community consultation closed in April, Council is being asked to adopt Lane Cove’s first Children and Families Strategy, taking effect from 1 July 2026.

The strategy is built around six guiding principles: inclusion, diversity, sustainability, focus-area design, coordination and safety.

It also includes six focus areas covering health, learning, play, children’s voice, inclusive places and service coordination.

Just two formal submissions were received during public exhibition.

Quarter three highlights: what Council has actually been doing

The Third Quarter Operational Review gives a useful snapshot of what has been happening on the ground in Lane Cove.

Standouts include:

• The Food Organics waste service has now rolled out to around 6,600 stand-alone homes.
• Consultancy firm 100% Renewables is preparing a full carbon inventory for Council.
• The draft 2026–2030 Sustainability Action Plan has been adopted for public exhibition.
• Two new bushcare groups have formed at Gamma Road and Wilsons Creek.
• A hazard reduction burn was completed in Lovetts Reserve.
• The On The Verge program supplied 254 plants for nature strips and pocket parks.
• 138 nursery volunteers potted 2,718 new plants this quarter.
• Demolitions at 14 Gay Street are complete and 347A Burns Bay Road is well underway.
• The Galuwa Recreation Centre held its Community Day, opening the facility up to residents for a tour.

Other items on the agenda

• A draft Planning Agreements Policy goes to public exhibition for six weeks. This would create a clearer framework for how Council negotiates and manages planning agreements with developers.
• A draft Civic Art Collection Policy also heads to public exhibition for six weeks, setting out how Council acquires, manages and, where necessary, removes public artworks from its collection.
• A draft Fire Safety Policy will go to exhibition for 28 days, formalising Council’s compliance and enforcement role.
• Council is also reviewing several routine policies, including the Events Management Policy and three Library policies and standards, with administrative updates reflecting the new St Leonards Library and shared-service arrangements with Hunters Hill.
• Council will consider a submission to the Federal Government’s National Cultural Policy consultation, advocating for stronger recognition and funding of local government cultural delivery.

For the first time, the monthly Council Snapshot report will include attached minutes from Council’s 12 advisory committees. That is a useful transparency step for residents who want to know what those committees are discussing.

What’s next

Several items on this month’s agenda are about starting public exhibition periods, so residents will have opportunities to comment if Council supports those recommendations.

The full May 2026 Lane Cove Council agenda is available online. You can also jump directly to the Open Space Strategy notice of motion, the synthetic turf notice of motion, the Greenwich Road planning proposal and the draft Affordable Housing Policy.

FULL AGENDA